Owensboro nun helps local Hispanics at her Centro Latino

“Everybody calls her La Madre de Los Mexicanos,” Josephine Cabrera, an immigrant from Mexico, said of Sister Fran Wilhelm, founder and director of Centro Latino in Owensboro, Ky. “The sister teaches us how to have compassion for our own people. Sometimes we forget where we came from. She reminds us every single day how to be a human.”

Sister Fran, left, and Josephine Cabrera, second right, discuss how to help a young woman who was ready to test for her GED on Tuesday afternoon.

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press “The number you have dialed is not in service,” Sister Fran Wilhelm mimicked. The sister was running into many dead-ends as she tried to find help for a client at Centro Latino in Owensboro, Ky. “It’s just hilarious.”

DENNY SIMMONS

Jerrod Oyervides, 2, keeps himself entertained as he and his family wait for help at Centro Latino in Owensboro, Ky., on Tuesday afternoon.

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press Brenda Oyervides is greeted by Sister Fran at the entrance to Centro Latino in Owensboro, Ky., on Tuesday afternoon. Oyervides was afraid her utilities would be cut off, leaving her and her two young children, Anna, 1, and Jerrod, 2, without heat.$RETURN$$RETURN$

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press Sister Fran Wilhelm spends much of her day on the telephone in her attempt to help the area Hispanics in Owensboro, Ky., at the outreach she founded, Centrol Latino.

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press Brenda Oyervides, left, waits with her two children, Anna, 1, center, and Jerrod, 2, as Sister Fran Wilhelm works the telephones to help her find a way to keep her utilities on.$RETURN$$RETURN$

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press As an Ursuline nun, Sister Fran Wilhelm is both a teacher and social worker. “Wherever we went and whatever we did, we intended to teach people with whom we came in contact,” she said of her order. “We do a lot of social work know.”$RETURN$$RETURN$

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press After working the telephones for nearly an hour, Sister Fran Wilhelm, right, sends Brenda Oyervides, left, her son, Jerrod, 2, center, and daughter, Anna, 1, on their way after helping them figure out a utility bill problem at Centro Latino, the outreach Sister Fran founded in 1993.$RETURN$$RETURN$

DENNY SIMMONS

DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press Sister Fran dines alone at her home which also serves as Centro Latino in Owensboro, Ky., on this Tuesday afternoon. The Ursuline nun fried a couple of pre-boiled hot dogs on her aged stove — “finally about played out” — to go with her “vegetable medley.” “It’s a wonderful medley of vegetables. A layer of squash in the skillet. Its supposed to be both green and yellow, but they didn’t have any yellow squash; and then a layer of green and yellow peppers; and then a layer of purple onions; and then a layer of tomatoes. You cook it just the least that you have to and its delicious. The combination of the flavors is just marvelous.”$RETURN$$RETURN$